Topic: What’s something your doctor taught you?

Well, as I am sure it is true for many of you, I have many doctors.  Each one has taught me so much along the way as I have learned to manage both EDS and POTS.  Finding such a great team of doctors did not happen overnight.  It took a lot of travel, a lot of help, and a lot of patience.

Recently I’ve had a few people ask questions about the doctors and therapists I currently see to keep my POTS and EDS manageable.  Whenever I type a list like this, I thank my lucky stars

Today I am thankful for the nurses and doctors I have seen in the last year who have gone above and beyond to help me.  I am thankful for honest doctors who are straight with me.  I am thankful for doctors who let me know in their own way that they will do what is in their power to help me.  I am thankful for doctors who are not afraid to admit that my symptoms are beyond their expertise so they help find me someone who can fit my needs.

So I just have to tell this story because it gets me teary-eyed every time. 


Last week when Brad and I were on the road to Cleveland to go for my autonomic nervous system testing, my Mom called to see how my day was going.  She and my Dad had been in Philly visiting Kristen, Jake, and the beautiful Cecilia Jane.  They were headed to BWI airport and we both still had a couple hours left to be in the car. At the moment she called I was struggling.  My back and head hurt, I was nervous, and I was experiencing the anxiety that a trip to Cleveland Clinic usually brings.  I was trying like heck to hold it together.  Sensing that I was near a meltdown, my Mom went into her pep talk, pick my spirits up, cheerleader mode. 

September was the month I would be starting my 6th year of teaching.  August was the month Brad and I were supposed to start trying to have a family.  July was the month we were supposed to go to Gun Lake with friends.  June was the month I would get to see my favorite band, Dave Mathews Band in concert.  None of these things happened.


If the last year has taught me anything, it has taught me that life throws curve balls that are often beyond my control.  This has been a very hard lesson for me to learn; one that is extremely hard to accept for a type A, control freak like myself.  I have also learned that putting timelines on life doesn’t always work out as well.